Take-up mechanism for foil slitting machine



June 15, 1965 J. TORRES TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR FOIL SLIT'I'ING MACHINE Filed April '12,: 1962 INVENTOR Jbsepl Torres,

g ga I I6 BY WY ATTORNEYS w m m w v u I a United States Patent 3,189,292 TAKE-U]? MECHANIEM FUR FUEL SLITTHNG MACHINE Joseph Torres, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 191,657

3 Claims. (Cl. 242-563) This application is a continuationdn-part ct copending application of assignee, Serial No. 36,666, filed June 16, 1960, for Foil Slitting Machine, now abandoned.

This invention relates to metal handling machines, more particularly to a machine for slitting metal foil, and most particularly to a machine for slitting extremely thin metal foil into strips and to a novel take-up stand for winding these strips onto individual spools.

Metal and metal toil has conventionally been slit into narrow metal or metal foil strips by means of a variety of machines, one of the most satisfactory of which utilizes a pair of cutting rolls which consist of intermeshing discs of differing diameters which act as scissors to cut the metal or metal foil. One illustration oi this general type of machine is found in United States Patent No, 1,849,591 to L. Rado, issued March 15, 1932.

Broadly speaking, the mechanism disclosed in that patent comprises three basic inter-related elements:

(1) A strip pay-off stand; (2) A cutter head; and (3) A take-up stand.

The take-up stand comprises a plurality of individual bobbins or reels for the slit material, the bobbins being mounted in two sets, one set on a first arbor, the other on an arbor situated on .a level below the first arbor. These bobbins or reels are either keyed to their respective arbors and revolved at speeds corresponding to the circumferential speed of the cutting knives, or are collectively clutched to the anbors to permit some slippage. Both arrangements present some disadvantages.

In the case of direct keying, it is essential that the peripheral speed oi the take-up reels be extremely accurately controlled by the peripheral speed of the cutting head in order .to prevent breakage of extremely thin foil. While an accurate relationship of these can be obtained, it necessitates expensive gearing and prevents the use of far less costly belt or chain drive.

With collective clutching, the clutching pressure necessary to clutch all of the bobbins is greater than that necessary for clutching individual bobbins were those bobbins mount-ed alone on the mounting arbor. As a result, when sutfi'cient pressure is applied to properly clutch all of the bobbins on the arbors, breakage problems arise with respect to individual strips.

As opposed to the foregoing devices, the present invention utilizes a plurality of take-up bobbins wherein each bobbin is individually supported on and clutched to an individual supporting arbor to provide individual tension control relative to each strip, with the clutching mechanism designed to exert only enough clutching pressure to provide the amount of back-tension desired for the individual bobbin with which it is associated. Each of the bobbins is provided as two separate elements engaged with one another in such a manner that the clutching force holds the two sections together but permits the separation 3,189,292 Patented June 15, 1965 of the portions oi the bobbin while still on their respective shafts for examination of the edges of the strip of material wound upon the bobbins and also for attaching the end of the strip to the bobbins at the start of. a reeling operation. t

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a foil slitting machine having an improved take-up stand. t t

It is another object of the invention to provide a unique take-up stand for use in connection with a foil slitting mechanism wherein a plurality ott take-up bobbins are provided, each being clutched on an individual supporting arbor to provide individual tension control relative to each strip, and in which the clutch mechanism is designed to exert only enough clutching pressure to provide the amount of back-tension desired for the individual bobbin with which it is associated. It is still another object of the present invention to pro-. vide a novel bobbin assembly whose unique structure facilitates the attachment of the toil strips to the take-up stand.

It is another object of the invention to provide a unique bobbin structure which permits the inspection of the edge condition of the strip wound upon the bobbin without the necessity of removing the bobbin from the take-up stand.

These and further objects and advantages ot the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the foil-slitting machine of the present invention shown schematically in part to show the relationship of the improved take-up stand of the present invention with the other elements of the foil-slitting combination, and partially broken away to illustrate details of the take-up stand;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of the other side of the toil-slitting mechanism shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the take-up mechanism, viewing the mechanism from the right as shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of one portion of the novel bobbin usable in the improved take-up stand of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the bobbin portion shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view at the second half of the novel bobbin shown in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the bobbin half shown in FIGURE 6. i

As may best be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the foil slit-ting machine of the present invention comprises a strip payofi stand 10, a cutter head assembly 12 and a take-up stand 14, mounted on a common support 16. The source of motive power for driving the cutter rolls 18 and 2%) is illustrated in block form at 22. Cutterroll 20 is placed in driving association with the power source .by means of sprocket chain 24 and sprocket wheels 26 and 27, sprocket .wheel 27 and cutter roll 20 being mounted about a common shaft 29. i p

Take-up stand .14 comprises a pair of vertical standards 28 and 3t mounted in spaced-apart relationship on sup port 16. Journalledin vertical standards 28 and 30 are a plurality of take-up shafits or arbors 32, 34-, 36, 38 and 40, which are shown in detail in FIGURE 3,

Take-up shaft 40 has reduced diameter portions 42 at each of its ends, which portions are received in hearings in vertical standards 2d and 30, a central unthreaded section 4 4- and two threaded portions 46 and 48 intermediate its ends and its central .section 44.

Slidably mounted on unthreaded central section 44 is a bobbin 49. One side of this bobbin engages one end of a coil spring '50 mounted about the shaft and having its other end abutting against a nut 52 mounted upon threaded section 4 8 of the shaft. A lock nut 54 is provided to fix the position of nut 52. The other side of bobbin 49 engages the ball bearings of a bearing sleeve 56 slidably mounted about the unthreaded portion 44 of shaft 40, which sleeve, in turn, abuts a lock nut 58 which is screwed onto threaded portion 46 of shaft it? to limit leftward movement of bearing sleeve 56.

As may be seen in FIGURE 3, shafts 32, 3 5, 36 and 38 are substantially identical to shaft 40 in structure except that the threaded portions of each of these shafts may be longer or shorter, as the case may be, to provide for the positioning of bobbins 6t), 62, 64, 66 and 49 in the relationship shown in FIGURE 3. As will be noted, the right portion of each bobbin substantially overlaps the left portion of the next adjacent bobbin for a reason to be set forth below.

Viewing the take-up stand as shown in FIGURE 3, the left end of each of shafts 32, 34, 36, 33 and 44 extends beyond vertical standard 28 to provide means for mounting gears 63, '70, '72, 74 and 76. Each of these gears is placed in driving connection with one another by means of intermediate gears 78, 80, 82 and 84, which are journalled for rotation in bearings (not shown) suitably provided in vertical standard 28. Shaft 40 has an extension 86 (see FIGURE 3), the end of which is journalled in the support 8 8 and which carries a sprocket Wheel 90 adapted to be driven by chain 92 connected at its other end to a sprocket wheel (not shown) mounted on shaft 29.

Details of the novel bobbins usable in connection with the take-up stand of the present invention are illustrated in FIGURES 4-7, as there shown, each bobbin is of twopart construction, the first part 94 consisting of an annular hub *96 having a radially projecting flange portion 98. The second portion 100 has a hub 102 having a radially projecting flange portion 104. As may best be seen in FIG- URES and 7, the outer diameter of hub 96 and the inner diameter of hub 2 are related to one another so that the former will enjoy a friction fit within the latter. So, too, the shoulder 106 (formed by the juncture of hub 96 and flange 98 is of a depth equal to or slightly less than the total thickness of part 160 so that it will not project beyond part ltltl iwhen parts 94 and 1% are placed in mating relationship. The depth of shoulder 10% will, of course, determine the distance separating flanges 98 and 104.

As shown in FIGURE 6, hub N2 is provided with a kerf 110 for a reason "which will become apparent when the operation of the mechanism of the present invention is described.

In operation, a roll of sub-mil metal foil (not shown) is mounted on the strip pay-off stand it and the foil M2 is fed into the cutter assembly 12 between cutter rolls 1-8 and and is slit into strips H4, 1'16, 118, 126 and 122. At this point, the parts 94 and 1% of each of bobbins 60, 62, 64, '66 and 49 are separated (while still mounted on their respective supporting arbors) and the end of a foil strip inserted in kerf deli in hub 192 of each bobbin part 100. The two parts of each bobbin are then pushed into mating relation-ship. The clutch pressure on each bobbin may then be adjusted by means of the lock nuts which are threaded on each arbor to provide a proper amount of tension on each foil strip. The strips can be locked about the bobbins by rotating them slightly and the machine then placed in operation. Since one flange of each of the bobbins overlaps one flange of the next adn Ii t. jacent bobbin, no unnecessary lateral tension will be exerted on the strips as the machine operates. As will be apparent, the pressure exerted on each bobbin may be varied as the occasion Warrants.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the mechanism of the instant invention makes a marked contribution to the elimination of the disadvantages found in prior takeup stands. In addition, the novel two-piece bobbin structure of the present invention greatly facilitates the initial attachment of the narrow foil strip (which may be as little as ,6! of an inch in Width) and permits the inspection of the edge condition of the strip wound about the bobbin without requiring removal of the bobbin from the take-up stand,

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is there-fore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. Tal e-up apparatus for use in combination with a machine for cutting thin sheet material into strips comprising:

(a) a plurality of spaced, take-up shafts;

(b) a take-up reel rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, said reel including:

(1) first and second matable cylindrical projections each having an annular flange extending radially outward from one end thereof, said second projection being hollow to define a radially outer surface and an end surface and to further define a radially inner surface receiving said first projection with a sliding fit, said first projection being of greater length than second projection such that a substantially U-shaped annular channel is formed with said second projection serving as the base of said U-shaped channel when said projections are mated with said first projection being within said second projection, said second projection being provided with a kerf communicating with said radial outer surface and said end surface but spaced from said radially inner surface whereby said rerf is exposed at said outer and end surfaces when said projections are separated from one another but is exposed only at said outer surface when said projections are mated together;

(c) means for yieldably applying axial pressure to each reel, said means being yieldable to the extent that said projections can be separated a significant distance, whereby the tension of the strip wound about said reel may be adjusted without adjustment of the speed of rotation of said shaft during operation of said apparatus, said yielding drive means permitting the separation of said projections of said reel while still on said shaft for examination of the edges of the strip of material Wound about it and for attaching the end of a strip to said reel at the start of a reeling operation; and

(d) means for rotating said shafts.

2. Take-up apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said kerf lies in a non-radial plane with respect to the axis of rotation of said reel.

3. Take-up apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said shafts are spaced parallel in relation to one another and said reels overlap in planes perpendicular to their axes of rotation to reduce lateral tension on the strips of sheet material during the reeling operation.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner OTHER REFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,682 1/79 Germany. 678,999 7/01 Hobbs 242-56.7 225,247 9/10 Germany,- 68 1,932 9/01 Skirrow 178-89 5 33 1912 Great W!- 1,357,47O 11/20 Perry. 143,336 5/ 20 Great Bntam. 2,467,607 4/49 B a'tES -242--74 X 12 51 533 3 50 Edwards 42437454 MERVIN STEIN Pnmary Exammen 2,650,777 9/ 53 Robbins 24246.2 LEYLAND M. MARTIN, Examiner. 3,017,135 1/62 Wood 24284.54 

1. TAKE-UP APPARATUS FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A MACHINE FOR CUTTING THIN SHEET MATERIAL INTO STRIPS COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF SPACED, TAKE-UP SHAFTS; (B) A TAKE-UP REEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID SHAFTS, SAID REEL INCLUDING: (1) FIRST AND SECOND MATABLE CYLINDRICAL PROJECTIONS EACH HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM ONE END THEREOF, SAID SECOND PROJECTION BEING HOLLOW TO DEFINE A RADIALLY OUTER SURFACE AND AN END SURFACE AND TO FURTHER DEFINE A RADIALLY INNER SURFACE RECEIVING SAID FIRST PROJECTION WITH A SLIDING FIT, SAID FIRST PROJECTION BEING OF GREATER LENGTH THAN SECOND PROJECTION SUCH THAT A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED ANNULAR CHANNEL IS FORMED WITH SAID SECOND PROJECTION SERVING AS THE BASE OF SAID U-SHAPED CHANNEL WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE MATED WITH SAID FIRST PROJECTION BEING WITHIN SAID SECOND PROJECTION, SAID SECOND PROJECTION BEING PROBIDED WITH A KERF COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RADIAL OUTER SURFACE AND SAID END SURFACE BUT SPACED FROM SAID RADIALLY INNER SURFACE WHEREBY SAID KERF IS EXPOSED AT SAID OUTER AND END SURFACES WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BUT IS EXPOSED ONLY AT SAID OUTER SURFACE WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE MATED TOGETHER; (C) MEANS FOR YIELDABLY APPLYING AXIAL PRESSURE TO EACH REEL, SAID MEANS BEING YIELDABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SAID PROJECTIONS CAN BE SEPARATED A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE, WHEREBY THE TENSION OF THE STRIP WOUND ABOUT SAID REEL MAY BE ADJUSTED WITHOUT ADJUSTMENT OF THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT DURING OPERATION OF SAID APPARATUS, SAID YIELDING DRIVE MEANS PERMITTING THE SEPARATION OF SAID PROJECTIONS OF SAID REEL WHILE STILL ON SAID SHAFT FOR EXAMINATION OF THE EDGES OF THE STRIP OF MATERIAL WOUND ABOUT IT AND FOR ATTACHING THE END OF A STRIP TO SAID REEL AT THE START OF A REELING OPERATION; AND (D) MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFTS. 